Medical implant systems and methods of use thereof

Abstract

Medical implant systems and methods of use thereof, and, more particularly, bone fixating plating systems and methods of use thereof. The medical implant system includes a plurality of fasteners, a receiving member body having a plurality of openings (capable of receiving one of the plurality of fasteners), and a plurality of locking mechanisms rotatably connected to the receiving member body. Each opening has at least one locking mechanism located nearby. Each locking mechanism can be rotated with an instrument between an open position and a closed position relative to the opening nearby the locking mechanism. Stops prevent over-rotation of the locking mechanism past the open position and the closed position. Each fastener can be rotated with the instrument to secure the fasteners into bone. When the locking mechanism is in the open position, the fastener can be passed through the opening and the instrument can be coupled to the fastener to rotate the fastener. When the locking mechanism is in the closed position, the fastener cannot pass through the opening, the fastener cannot rotate to unsecure the fastener from the bone, and the instrument cannot be coupled to the fastener to rotate the fastener.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical implant system comprising:
 (a) a plurality of fasteners;   (b) a receiving member body having a plurality of openings, wherein each of the openings is capable of receiving one of the plurality of fasteners;   (c) a plurality of locking mechanisms rotatably connected to the receiving member body, wherein
 (i) each opening in the plurality of openings has at least one locking mechanism located nearby, 
 (ii) each of locking mechanism in the plurality of locking mechanisms is capable of being rotated with an instrument between an open position and a closed position relative to the opening nearby the locking mechanism; 
 (iii) each of the fasteners is capable of being rotated with the instrument to secure the fasteners into bone; 
 (iv) when the locking mechanism is in the open position, the locking mechanism does not cover any portion of the opening nearby the locking mechanism such that the fastener can be passed through the opening and such that the instrument can be coupled to the fastener to rotate the fastener; 
 (v) when the locking mechanism is in the closed position, a portion of the locking mechanism covers a portion of the opening such that the fastener cannot pass through the opening, such that the fastener cannot rotate to unsecure the fastener from the bone, and such that the instrument cannot be coupled to the fastener to rotate the fastener; and 
 (vi) the receiving member body has stops that are capable of preventing over-rotation of the locking mechanism past the open position and the closed position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the medical implant system is a bone fixating plating system. 
     
     
         3 . The medical implant system of  claim 2 , wherein the bone fixating plating system comprises a cervical, thoracic, or lumbar plate. 
     
     
         4 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fasteners comprise a plurality of screws. 
     
     
         5 . The medical implant system of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of screws comprise screws selected from a group consisting of (a) fixed-angle screws, (b) variable-angle screws, (c) self-drilling screws, (d) self-tapping screws, and (e) combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 4 mm and a width of 5 mm to 40 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body is selected from a group consisting of a one level plate, a two level plate, a three level plate, a four level plate, and a five level plate. 
     
     
         8 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a material selected from a group consisting of metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body has a lordotic and medial/lateral curvature. 
     
     
         10 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body has radial cut sections on face of the receiving member body such that the receiving member body is capable to be bent utilizing a bending instrument for positioning the plurality of openings. 
     
     
         11 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein distance from the end of the receiving member body to the center of at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is at most 4 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body has one or more windows to provide visualization through the receiving member body. 
     
     
         13 . The medical implant system of  claim 12 , wherein distance from the center of each of the openings to a closest wall of the receiving member body forming one of the one or more windows is at most 2 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving member body has at least one pair of tapered surfaces that are capable of mating with a location/guide instrument. 
     
     
         15 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fasteners in the plurality of fasteners and each of the locking mechanisms in the plurality of locking mechanisms has the same shape-coupling portion that provides for the instrument to couple with each of the fasteners and the locking mechanisms. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising the steps of:
 (a) selecting a medical implant system of  claim 1  having a plurality of fasteners, a receiving member body having a plurality of openings, and a plurality of locking mechanisms;   (b) while a first locking mechanism is in an open position relative to a nearby first opening in the plurality of openings, inserting a first fastener in the plurality of fasteners through the nearby first opening such that the first fastener is received into the receiving member body;   (c) coupling an instrument to the first fastener;   (d) utilizing the instrument to rotate the first fastener to secure the first fastener and the receiving body to bone;   (e) uncoupling the instrument from the first fastener;   (f) coupling the instrument to the first locking mechanism;   (g) utilizing the instrument to rotate the first locking mechanism from the open position to a closed position, wherein a portion of the first locking mechanism covers a portion of the first opening such that the first fastener cannot pass through the first opening, and such that the first fastener cannot rotate to unsecure the first fastener from the bone;   (h) decoupling the instrument from the first locking mechanism; and   (i) repeating steps (b)-(h) for additional fasteners in the plurality of fasteners to secure the receiving member body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (a) before step (b), utilizing a fixation pin to secure the receiving member body and hold the receiving member body in place during steps (b)-(h); and   (b) after the completion of step (i), removing the fixation pin.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (a) coupling the instrument to the first locking mechanism;   (b) utilizing the instrument to rotate the first locking mechanism from the closed position to the open position closed position;   (c) decoupling the instrument from the first locking mechanism;   (d) coupling the instrument to the first fastener;   (e) utilizing the instrument to rotate the first fastener to remove the first fastener from the bone;   (e) uncoupling the instrument from the first fastener;   (f) removing the first fastener from the first locking mechanism; and   (g) repeating steps steps (a)-(g) for additional fasteners in the plurality of fasteners to unsecure the receiving member body.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the medical implant system is a bone fixating plating system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the bone fixating plating system comprises a cervical, thoracic, or lumbar plate. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of fasteners comprise a plurality of screws. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of screws comprise screws selected from a group consisting of (a) fixed-angle screws, (b) variable-angle screws, (c) self-drilling screws, (d) self-tapping screws, and (e) combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving member body has a thickness of 0.5 mm to 4 mm and a width of 5 mm to 40 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving member body is selected from a group consisting of a one level plate, a two level plate, a three level plate, a four level plate, and a five level plate. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fastener comprises a material selected from a group consisting of metal alloys, polymers, ceramics, and composites thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving member body has a lordotic and medial/lateral curvature. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 (a) the receiving member body has radial cut sections on face of the receiving member body; and   (b) the method further comprises utilizing a bending instrument to bend the receiving member body to position the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein distance from the end of the receiving member body to the center of at least one of the openings in the plurality of openings is at most 4 mm. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving member body has one or more windows to provide vsualization through the receiving member body. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein distance from the center of each of the openings to a closest wall of the receiving member body forming one of the one or more windows is at most 2 mm. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 (a) the receiving member body has at least one pair of tapered surfaces; and   (b) the method further comprises mating with a location/guide instrument utilizing the at least one pair of the tapered surfaces.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the fasteners in the plurality of fasteners and each of the locking mechanisms in the plurality of locking mechanisms has the same shape-coupling portion that provides for the instrument to couple with each of the fasteners and the locking mechanisms.